Apparatus for the manufacture of gas



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 1.

P. E. DE MILL, Jr. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

No. 447,506. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

WITNESSES v N H N [/VVENTOY? (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. E. DE MILL, J1". APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

No. 447,506. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

WIT E8828 [WWW T061 /g 63a @zwmzw wyy. fi 6 W 1 flzzomeys.

PETER ED\VARD DE MILL, JR., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 447,506, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed May 31, 1889. Serial No, 312,746. (No model.)

To (0 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER EDWARD DE MILL, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of \Vayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved apparatus for the manufacture of illuminating and fuel gas.

Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line or so of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a half-plan and half-section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of valves in the exit-pipes. Fig. 4 shows a variation in the construction of the supporting-diaphragm.

A A A A A represent vertical retorts with the upper and lower mouth-piecesB and O.

D is a furnace for heating the retorts and the chambers in which they are located, and may be constructed on the regenerative plan. The products of combustion pass through the flue E into the chambers surrounding the retorts, passing through compartments G, H, I, J, and K to the atmosphere.

S 3 represent steam-pipes entering the lower mouth-piece, and o is the valve controlling the steam in the same.

L is the discharging door or lid of the lower mouth-piece, and is preferably hung by a hinge.

M is a perforated disk to support the coal in the retort, and is raised and lowered by the rod N.

0 represents clamps for making the lid L gas-tight to the lower month-piece.

P represents cotter-bars for securing the upper charging doors or lids Q on the top mouth-pieces.

R represents the exit-pipe or pipe for conducting the gas from the retorts.

T and T represent valves in exit-pipe R.

U represents an opening in the top of the furnace for supplying it with fuel.

IV represents a pipe connected to the lid L by a union, and its purpose is to carry away any car that may be formed in the retort.

X is the furnace-door for cleaning and preparing the fire in the furnace.

,2 are the pipes for conducting liquid hydrocarbon to the retorts.

E represents openings to clean out ashes, &c., that may collect in compartments of the flue. The compartments F, II, and J are of increasing depth successively, the purpose being to facilitate the heating of the lower portions of the retorts.

vMy mode of making gas is as follows, viz: After the retorts are sufficiently heated by the furnace for the decomposition of bituminous coal the coal is introduced through E and rests on the disk M. The lid Q is replaced and secured. When the coal has been carbonized, the valve T is opened and T is closed, and steam is allowed to enter through S, forcing its way through the incandescent coke, and during its passage it is decomposed and there is formed carbonic-oxide gas and free hydrogen. Then oil is admitted on top of the coke and is vaporized, and the mixed gases are conducted to the superheater to be fixed; or, as shown in my apparatus patented to me October 27, 1.885, the gases may be conveyed to the superheater and there mixed with the liquid hydrocarbon oil, instead of introducing said oil onto the incandescent coke.

If it is desired to make a non-luminant gas, the oil is not admitted and the gas is conducted through the ordinary apparatuses (not shown) for purification in the usual way. IVhen the coke has become chilled, so that it will not decompose the steam, it is dumped through the lower mouth-piece into a wagon or car, taken to the furnace, and enough discharged through the opening U to replenish the fires, if necessary, In use, the retorts in each series being charged or discharged alternately, the production of gas is made continuous.

Instead of making the fuel-supporting dia-. phragm adjustable by a shaft, as shown, the diaphragm may be made solid with the lower discharging-door. In this latter case Iwould flare the mouth of the retort, so that as the door is opened down about its hinge the diaphragm will swing clear of the wall of the mouth-piece, substantially as shown in Fig. 4.

Among the advantages of my apparatus are that I get all the illuminating-gases from the coal 5 that no blast of air is necessary to bring the coke to incandcsccnce, as is done by others, whereby they waste a large portion of the coke and considerable time; that the operation is continuous; that the retorts being Vertical, are more easily charged and discharged; that; the furnace being placed at one side, the vertical arrangement is facilitated; that the furnace may be supplied by dumping into the top without the use of a shovel, thereby saving labor and time; that by means of the pipe in the different chambers (supplied from a pump with water) the necessary steam may be generated without the expense of boiler.

The steam may be derived from any steamgeuerator; but the generator may be in the form of steam'pipes S, arranged upon the interior of the hot line or flues F H J, and in that event I preferably provide a steam dome or drum S from which the steam-pipes S lead to the retorts. Water maybe fed to the hot pipes by means of a pump in any convenient way.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a gas-making apparatus, the combination of a vertical retort having a charging door or lid in its top and a discharging-door in its bottom, an external furnace having laterally-extended flues superposed one above another and surrounding the retort to supply heat for generating gas, a vertically-movable and perforated diaphragm in the lower part of the retort for sustaining the charge, a steamconduit leading into the retort beneath said diaphragm, and a gas-exit pipe leading from the upper part of the retort, substantially as described.

2. In agas-making apparatus, the combination of a series of vertical retorts, a furnace having laterally-extended fines superposed one above another and surrounding the retorts, said flues being successively increased in depth from below upward, steam-conduits leading into the retorts below the charges of coal supported therein, a steam-generator consisting of pipes located in a furnace-flue and connected with said steam-conduits, and gasexit pipes leading from the retorts, substantially as described.

3. In a gasanakiug apparatus for the continuons production of illuminating and fuel gas, the combination of a series of vertical retorts, a furnace having laterally-extended flues superposed one above another and surrounding said retorts, which project at top and bottom beyond the said flues, verticallymovable diaphragms in the lower portions of said retort-s to sustain the charges of coal, steam-conduits leading into the retorts beneath said diaphragms, pipes for discharging liquid hydrocarbon into the upper portions of the retorts, and valved gas-exit pipes leadiu g from the retorts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifier tion in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER ED\VARD DE MILL, JR.

\Vitnesses:

\V. H. CHAMBERLIN, L. A. DoEL'rz. 

